The Forgotten Crusade
was an attempt by the Covenant to bring the Belcoth race into the Hegemony. Initially funded as a large scale campaign, changes to the Covenant government, and a changing focus to the war against Humanity left the Crusade as a shadow of its former self. All but forgotten by the Covenant at large, the Crusade eventually ended during the battle of Hierarch's Gate, when the surviving Covenant forces fled, or surrendered. The war united the disparate Khandiith and Vaeriag factions of the Belcoth under a single banner, creating a unified race that would move themselves to the galactic stage several years later. Background The Covenant's first contact with the Belcath came when the missionary vessel, Far Riches, stumbled upon a nomad fleet during a routine exploration mission. Dropping out of slipspace within an occupied system, it had strayed into the path of the nomad fleet's forward vanguard, consisting of 3 corvettes. Upon meeting a new race, the Ship Master attempted to, rather poorly, assert their intentions, while also making a provocation to assert their superior position. Both actions were poorly thought out, and caused them to be perceived as a hostile threat. Far Riches was engaged, and while it was unharmed, it returned fire, destroying one, and crippling the other, before fleeing. A year later, a more official attempt was created, with a more experienced missionary ship arriving at the system, with a better prepared response. This time it was engaged by a Khandiith cruiser, and barely escaped, while scoring a number of blows on it's opponent. The Hierarchs decided that the Belcoth would only be subdued through proper measures, and prepared a Fleet. Participants Covenant Hegemony Fleet of Undiminished Glory A large fleet gathered to conquer and convert the belligerent Belcoth, the Fleet of Undiminished Glory was organised in such a way. Intended for a long term operation, they carried many support ships, and the necessary materials for building and supplying forward bases. The Fleet would focus on conquest and conversion through the course of the War, and only in the later portion did their focus shift first to suppressing rebellions, then to defending themselves. Initial victories were thanks to the tactics and stratagems of Fleet Master Yerem 'Sarjaan, but his operations were frequently hampered by the interference of the Minister of Proselytism, who had his own demands and agendas for the campaign. Belcoth At the beginning of the war, the Belcoth were divided between two major groups, the Vaeriag Mandate around the core worlds, and the Khandiith Commonwealth, around the outer territories. Later, these formed into a single alliance to bring the fight to the Covenant. Vaeriag Mandate Based on the ancestral homeworld of the Belcath, Uriol, the Vaeriag Mandate was a militaristic government. Service to the Mandate was life for the citizenry, with a strong sense of service installed in each Belcoth Clutchling. With a strong sense of community, the Mandate grew significantly in strength. However, their society was known to be wasteful, seeing a means to an end, rather than the results in between. Much of their works were function over form, creating a brutally honest design that rarely left room for aesthetics. There was a strong focus to improvement of the Mandate as a whole through communal work and service, and equality between one another. The government was composed of officers, former and current, referred to as the Commissariat. They were elected democratically, and in turn appointed a Commissary-General, their national leader. Their political system has a culturally ingrained intrigue too it, often with back room deals, alliances, cloak and dagger, and plots. Their military forces were mostly equipped for border clashes and small fleet-actions, never for the level of war their saw against the Covenant. They were slow to adapt, and it wasn't until the introduction of Khandiith officers that they were able to grow in strength. Khandiith Commonwealth A break away faction of the Belcoth, they have had a number of wars with their neighbours, and border skirmishes, but remained in a state of peace. Fiercely independent, they took the communal sensibilities from their home world, and took it to small, nomadic groups. Like their home world kin, they had a strong inclination to working together for a singular goal, in spite of everything else, and for viewing one another as equal, no matter the station of position. Sick of the political infighting of their home world, they used a council of guardians called the Coordinators. Voted in by nomad captains, the Coordinators were a guiding hand to their people. They were more often than not, idealistic, and viewed one another by merit, more than anything else. They were once adverse to war and bloodshed, but their struggles against the Covenant hardened them, creating an elite corps of warriors, who fought the Covenant with a brutal fervour. Eventually, they would be forced from their space, joining the Vaeriag to reap vengeance on their oppressors. Belcoth Coalition Formed in 2523, as an alliance of the two peoples, the Belcoth Coalition was, and still is, and alliance of the Belcoth people into a single government. Taking the best of their people, and mixing it with a hatred for their enemies, they took what was a broken force, and forged them into a navy capable of defeating the Covenant. They took much of the governmental system of the Vaeriag, with certain precautions, and kept the militarism. Their unrelenting focus on a goal didn't waver, but now their focus was on their outward xenophobia, against those who had oppressed them, or would try to again. The union of their people created a renaissance in science, expanding significantly in all directions. Their admiralty, especially, became a major part of their culture. Unbeknowest to most of the population, their exists an agency within the government, the Second Council, who control large elements of the governments, and election, though direct or indirect means. This allows them to avoid the bureaucratic nightmare that nearly resulted in their defeat. Prelude In the wake of their two previous missions, the Covenant began a covert investigation of the Belcoth, intercepting communications, and working on translating their language and culture. A fleet was amassed, headed by Fleet Master Yerem 'Sarjaan and Minister of Proselytism. While the Minister came with his own agendas, 'Sarjaan sought to bring more people into the Hegemony. He meticulously researched previous contacts with new races, seeking to create an impeccable strategy to conquer and convert the Belcoth. The Belcoth had suppressed the information of first contact, but both the Commonwealth and Mandate strengthened their borders, looking for potential invaders. This created high tensions between both factions. Campaign Arrival In early 2502, the first vanguard of the Fleet of Undiminished Glory arrived. Arriving at the rally point in the Foraan System, they began the first steps of preparing their invasion. They established a forward base on the planet there, along with a rudimentary defence station, and an all-important fuelling facility. These resources would stand them in hood stead moving forward. The rest of the fleet would begin rallying here, with the total of 105 ships arriving over the course of a month. With the fleet resupplied by the vanguard, Fleet Master 'Sarjaan began his invasion in earnest. Outer Spiral Reconnaissance The first engagements were small scale clashes. Using Kig-Yar mercenaries under the commander of Ship Masters Eran Ruk'Var and Koid Eik Dahn, he began to probe outer systems, launching small reconnoitring missions, though rarely clashing with the enemy in large scale engagements. His Kig-Yar Privateers were also instructed to seize ships, data, and personnel, returning them to the fleet for interrogation, and analysis. This data gathering mission continued for 7 months, before true military action began. Acting on his gathered intelligence, 'Sarjaan began probing assaults, hitting Khandiith and Vaeriag settlements. Usually, he settled for ship-to-ship victories, routing or otherwise destroying enemy fleets. He also attacked smaller settlements, securing them with little effort. His true announcement of power was the attack on the Vaeriag trading outpost of Heurom. He launched a fleet of 19 vessels, including several cruisers, and encountered an enemy fleet twice that size. The battle was a massacre, with the Vaeriag Navy being utterly destroyed, with several vessels captured. The ground invasion was a short battle too, since Vaeriag doctrine called for a strong naval defence over any ground forces. Within six months he had conquered the capital and secured much of the surface. Deacons and priests entered the city, to spread the word of the Covenant to the people. They found few converts. Further probing attacks would continue, for the better part of two years, seeking weaknesses to exploit. Battle of Heurom Reeling from the loss at Heurom, the Mandate navy assembled its largest fleet, the Outer Arm defence. Assembling 70 vessels, they expected a bloody victory against the numerically inferior Covenant. The fleet took nearly a year to muster, because of political infighting, and flew into battle without appropriate intelligence gathering, because of further political machinations. Nonetheless, Commissar-Admiral Oriagth took his fleet at full speed. Arriving at Heurom, they didn't find the 19 ships they'd fought previously, but a fleet, 60 vessels strong. Immediately recognising that he was out matched, Oriagth sought to retreat, leading his fleet to the outer rings of the planet where they might be able to mount a defence battle until escape became possible. 'Sarjaan offered surrender, which was promptly knocked back. 'Sarjaan responded in kind, pummel Oriagth's fleet and utterly annihilating his rear guard. His CAS-class Assault Carrier accounted for no less than 17 Mandate ships, including a carrier. Oriagth was allowed to escape, being able to only take 7 vessels with him. 'Sarjaan wanted word of this victory to spread, to demoralise his enemies. Outer Spiral Invasions Over the next 9 years, the Covenant conducted a brutal planet hopping campaign, moving from world to world through both Commonwealth and Mandate territory, crushing all resistance. The conflict spiralled out, covering an ever larger expanse of territory. During this period, the Mandate and Commonwealth were stuck in a brutal cycle of retreating, evacuation, and last stands, and utterly failing to mete out any meaningful losses on the Covenant. During this time, each world was heavily fortified, and a troop left behind to begin the process of conversion. The process of converting populations was slow, and difficult. Being highly independent, and built around communal units, attempts to convert them to the Covenant faith was difficult. This forced them to maintain peace keeping garrisons, rather than vassalize the worlds their conquered. Of particular interest to 'Sarjaan's forces was the large Commonwealth nomad fleets. In early 2513 they managed to capture one relatively intact, picking apart it's escorts and seizing control of the vessels. They were then used as bait, drawing in Commonwealth rescuers, who were quickly destroyed. An attempt to repeat the tactic the year after failed, when the Nomad fleet chose to scuttle their own ships, rather than being the Covenant's hostages. The Outer Spiral campaign ended with the battle of Jarsoum, the Commonwealth capital. The Commonwealth's military was so utterly exhausted that they could barely even mount an effective defence of their capital, only managing to summon a paltry 23 vessels, to the Covenant's 45. Under the command of Nomad-Commander Gullugth, they attempted to use the planet's gravity and magnetosphere to deter enemy attacks, but failed to anticipate the accuracy and power of the Covenant's long range weapons. The ground campaign was significantly slower, with a ground invasion taking several months. Eventually, the Hegemony's flag flew over the Coordinator's Palace, signalling the end of the Commonwealth. Coordinator Huruud, effectively the leader of the Commonwealth, was captured during the fall of the capital. Coordinator Ylguthiim would lead the Commonwealth after that, as the only surviving Coordinator. Battle of the Azure Verge After the Outer Spiral campaign, Sarjaan's forces were spread thin. He couldn't afford to allow the Mandate to regroup and recover, while he consolidated his position. He concocted the Battle of the Azure Verge to aide him in this. He recognised the cultural differences between the Mandate and the Commonwealth, and intended to force them into a small area, inciting friction, and hopefully, civil war. The last few free Commonwealth colonies were situated in the Azure Verge, and were swollen with refugees. The Covenant fleet launched a multi-pronged attack on the last Commonwealth worlds, intending to give the refugees plenty of time to escape, and chase them towards Mandate space. The battles themselves were largely successful, with Covenant forces advancing near unimpeded. Ylguthiim lead an escape out of the sector, seeking refuge with their cousins on the Mandate. At the battle of Eriol-Tuore, a small group of Commonwealth Frigates managed to earn their one, and only victory of the war. They lured a Kig-Yar pirate vessel into a small ice field, and disabled it by detonating a number of ice rocks, sending streams of frozen ice into the ship and causing significant damage. With the vessel disabled, they boarded it and seized the ship, but allowed the crew to send a distress call. A CCS-class Battlecruiser responded, and as it neared, the small force again attacked, firing off a flurry of nuclear devices, intended to halt the vessel with a barrage of electromagnetic pulses. They succeeded, crippling the ship, and managed to capture the vessel during an intense six hour boarding action. The task done, they towed both of their prizes away. Though they lacked the scientists, or the facilities, to properly analyses and reverse engineer the ship. This ship would be instrumental in bartering their way into Mandate territory. The Commonwealth ceased to be, their worlds conquered and claimed by the Covenant. War for the Venym Expanse The Covenant now turned their attention to the resource rich worlds of the Venym Expanse. A heavily fortified area of Mandate space, it was a number of second stage Mandate colonies, with built up industrial areas and infrastructure for supporting production and manufacturing on a large scale. With this in mind, the Fleet Master began his attack. Recognising that his forces were magnitudes more powerful than the Mandate, he moved them into smaller squadrons that standard doctrine dictated. He then used them to steadily squeeze on the Mandate's positions, skirmishing with them, and attacking their lines of supply. Three worlds surrendered without even going to a ground invasion. On the world of Galmeon's Fall, the Covenant executed their bloodiest campaign yet. The world's defences were commanded by Commissar-Admiral Oriagth, already humiliated multiple times during the campaign. He had nothing left to lose, and was prepared to fight to the last man to exact as many casualties on his enemies as possible. They built up substantial orbital defences, and pulled disused stations out of position to use as cover for the fight. On arrival, 'Sarjaan avoided Oriagth's defences, and instead took a more pragmatic approach. Keeping his heaviest ships at the rear, he performed long range bombardment against the defences, safely outside the enemy's range. He then had a number of his fast ships perform Near-Object Insertions, dropping out of slipspace behind the Mandate ships. Suddenly trapped between two enemy forces, the Mandate navy was utterly annihilated, the ruins of their ships becoming strewn across orbit, or flung into the atmosphere. Oriagth's himself died when his ship was cut in two by a ORS-class Heavy Cruiser. With the orbital corridor cleared, 'Sarjaan could begin his ground invasion. His aim was to take Galmeon as intact as possible, as it's infrastructure would be bent to the Covenant's will, and further his war effort. To start, he sent down elite shock units, to take out the heavy fortifications around the capital. Caught in close quarters by a far superior, and much more experienced force, the Mandate defenders were able to offer little resistance. With the largest obstacle removed, 'Sarjaan allowed a Zealot under his command, Heryim 'Waikun, to take chargeof the campaign. He lead a massive aerial assault on the city, wrestling control of the skies, then mass landing his forces within the city itself, establishing control points at vital areas. When the Mandate forces continued resistance, he attempted an armoured push, but found the Mandate defenders much fiercer inside the capital. Slowed by this, he instead looked to crushing their spirit. Most of their defences were focused around the Citadel, essentially a planetary pariliament building, but a fortress in of itself. He took his siege units to it and annihilated it, smashing it under a heavy bombardment, his Locust, Scarab, and Wraith units drowning defenders in a sea of plasma. With the Citadel, and the bulk of their forces, destroyed, the remaining Mandate defenders offered parley. The city was conquered. Over the next few weeks, the other cities and towns were conquered, steadily squeezing them under a siege, and ending resistance in a single stroke. By the end of the second month, control was absolute. The planet belonged to the Covenant. Consolidation of Power With the victory at Galmeon, the Covenant opened further negotiations with the Mandate, offering an unconditional surrender. The Mandate still refused, straining against them at every opportunity. At this point, the Covenant no longer cared. With news of their victory, the colonisation of the captured territories began. It was divided between Kaidons favoured by the Covenant, and to other parties, such as Unggoy traders, and Kig-Yar clans. The Belcoth lived under the thumb of the Covenant, being forcibly converted, and living as serfs and thralls under the Covenant races. Resistance was high, but the Covenant only grew stronger against this. Fresh transports arrived daily, bringing supplies, colonists, and more. Much of this was heralded by the construction of a massive orbital nexus over Galmeon, now renamed Hierarch's Gate. This orbital nexus would allow the Covenant to become self-sufficient in the Belcoth territory. At this time, the Covenant seemed utterly unassailable. Formation of the Coalition While the Covenant built, converted, and settled down, the Belcoth did not wait. Survivors of the Khandiith Commonwealth came to the Mandate, bringing with them soldiers eager for battle, ships that were still in combat condition, and a captured CCS-class Battlecruiser. The Mandate itself was suffering from internal turmoil, from the losses heaped upon them. The two governments formed a coalition into one, becoming the Belcoth Coalition, the first united government of the Belcoth in centuries. Now unified, they needed to buy time. Their scientists sought to decipher the secrets of the Covenant, picking apart through the captured ship, and learning all they could of their culture, communications, and computer systems. The Coalition launched probing attacks, mostly consisting of small raids, quick strikes, and the like, in order to test new tactics and technology, learning what they could, especially in regards to their attempts to decrypt their communications. Long range groups, headed by Commonwealth survivors, found their way to the Covenant transport lanes, persecuting strikes against poorly defended Covenant ships, securing what they could in war materiel. The Covenant shrugged these pinpricks off, not realising they were being bled steadily. As 2525 came around, the Covenant's outlook changed. The High Prophets changed, with three new Prophets rising to assume the mantle, and announcing a Ninth Age of Reclamation. This kick started a holy war against a newly discovered race. Soon tithes of soldiers were taken from the colonies, and ships were requested, and supplies became diverted. It mattered little, for the time being. The Fleet of Undiminished Glory remained strong. The Coalition intercepted communiques that revealed the weakening of their enemy, and saw the opportunity to strike back. Attack on the Palanquin of Justice The Palanquin of Justice, flagship of the invasion force, and long remained over Hierarch's Gate, standing vigil over the world. 'Sarjaan used it as a tool of oppression, giving a constant military presence, and as a means of deterring attack. The Minister of Proselytism had other things in mind though. He liked to entertain converts from the Belcoth, inviting them upon the ship to show their art, and culture, as his ministers and deacons eradicated it on the planet. Despite 'Sarjaan's strict security protocols, the Minister often stepped around them, or ignored them entirely. Coalition intelligence, in contact with a resistance cell on Galmeon, organised a suicide attack, in hopes of taking the enemy commander out of the campaign. They managed to smuggle components onto the planet, to create a fusion bomb, and used fissionable materials salvaged from a fallen Belcoth cruiser, creating a crude, but efficient bomb. They placed it an art piece, lined with cloaking materials, rendering it almost impossible to detect. A local artist, by the name of Fioral, found himself in patronage of the Minister. When approached by Coalition agents, he agreed to transport the bomb, and die to detonate it. The bomb was smuggled aboard the ship without issue. Placed in the Minister's gallery, at the centre of the ship, he visited the piece, and spoke with the artist. When asked what the piece meant, he declared it was for the freedom of the Belcoth people, and detonated the bomb. In an instant, the massive CAS-class Assault Carrier was torn in half by a nuclear explosion. The Minister died instantly, along with 'Sarjaan, and much of his command staff. Along with them, many of the fleet's best warriors died, or were trapped upon the wreck as it splintered apart and fell to the planet. The ship broke apart, falling on the planet, like a fallen angel. This image, captured by the Coalition, was used as a signal to begin fighting back. With that, the war turned against the Covenant. Fioral Rebellions The Fleet of Undiminished Glory went from an unrivalled power to suddenly being on the back foot in a single night. Their flagship, commanders, and elite troops, were all destroyed in a single attack. Now two dozen worlds rose up against the Covenant in resistance. Heavy tithes, and reduced supplies and ships created a weakened defence, with the Covenant scrambling to try and suppress these. Command of the fleet passed to Shiru 'Ruik, ship master of the ORS-class Heavy Cruiser Unbroken Sword. Moving command functions to his ship, he tried to rally the disparate forces, in an effort to take control of the situation. He immediately clashed with Zealot Heryim 'Waikun, who also wished to take control. The two barely saw eye to eye, and had very different approaches to the conflict. 'Waikun wished to continue 'Sarjaan's tactic of converting and negotiating, believing the people of the conquered worlds could be reasoned with. 'Ruik cared not. They were members of the Covenant, and would obey him, even if they must learn it by force. 'Ruik won the argument, ruthlessly stamping out conflicts where he saw them. He hit the rebels with overwhelming force, caring little for casualties or collateral. All he succeeded in doing was temporarily stamping out rebels, and pushing more into open rebellion. This brutal sequence of events continued for two years, wearing Covenant forces down, enough so that the Coalition could begin inching out naval victories. small groups of ships cornered Covenant vessels and destroyed or captured them. The Kig-Yar ship captain, Koid Eik Dahn, was killed in battle, his ship being destroyed after his flotilla of raiders met a squadron of Coalition ships improved by Covenant technology. Such a loss weighed heavily on the Covenant. Battle of Chandar At the planet of Chandar, the Covenant came under heavy insurgent attack. Hundreds of thousands rose up in arms against Covenant rule, overrunning the Keep established there. Local Covenant forces were utterly overwhelmed, surviving only in small pockets. When 'Ruik's squadron arrived, his fleet was met by fruitless suicide attacks from the surface. He brusquely ordered the surrender of the rebels, offering them their lives. They ignored the communiques, and continued their attacks. He sent a ground invasion, but it fared poorly, coming under heavy attack and becoming bogged down by insurgent tactics. Losing patience with this, he withdrew his men to orbit, and then delivered retribution by way of orbital bombardment. Firing his main guns on the planet, he consumed whole cities in plasma fire. As he rained fire down on the world, broadcasts of this were sent to other worlds, spurring them on in rebellion. The rebellion grew stronger, and bolder, with 'Ruik's tactics only making them more desperate and determined. Dwindling Supplies As 2528 dawned, the situation began to dawn on 'Ruik. He only had the supplies necessary to wage 2 more years of open warfare, then he ran out of fuel. After that, food would shortly follow. The number of transports coming to them had gone from 20 a month, to only 2, and even then they ran a gauntlet of Coalition raiders. When he requested reinforcements, he was simple waved off. The Hierarchs didn't care, they had more important matters to prosecute. 'Ruik elected to retreat from contested worlds, and focus his defence on well established Covenant worlds. The Coalition sensed this weakness, and made the Covenant pay dearly for it. Raids on their fuelling facilities, and on their communication hubs took a heavy toll on them, reducing their already poor supplies, and cutting them off from the rest of the Covenant. No other ship had the necessary long range communication equipment, or the necessary fuel to make the return trip. The last transport arrived in August, 2528, pockmarked from Coalition fire. Coalition Counter-Attacks With many Covenant controlled worlds in open rebellion, the Covenant was forced onto the back foot. While they held the advantage in sheer power, they were vastly out numbered, and stretched dangerously thin. With supplies now becoming a major concern, all fleet actions moved to purely defensive actions. The Covenant fleet formed into several defensive squadrons, focusing on maintain orbital superiority, in the hopes that the threat of orbital bombardment would win most fights. For several months, this held, and the Coalition's counter-attacks had few successes. However, in mid-2529, the Coalition introduced something that would create a final nail in the Covenant's coffin. During a battle over the world of Urio, the Vengeance-class Cruiser made it's first appearance. The final product of years of research and development, the Vengeance-class was the result of reverse-engineering the technology of a captured Battlecruiser. Now they finally had the Covenant's power within their hands. While a pale imitation of the CCS-class, its very existence frightened Covenant commanders. During the battle of Urio, a squadron of Vengeance-class Cruisers fought a squadron of CCS-class Battlecruisers of equal number. While the battle was a loss for the Coalition, it proved the technology was viable. They were so close to equal footing. Soon, more and more ships appeared, armed with Covenant technology. Massed Coalition attacks began, heaping massive casualties on the Covenant, and ousting them from many worlds. Battle of Suriel At the beginning of 2531, over a third of the Covenant controlled territory had been reclaimed by the Coalition, liberating their oppressed peoples, and capturing many Covenant colonists in the process. The next major target for Coalition command was the world of Suriel. In terms of strategic importance, it was of little value, but as a propaganda tool, it was important. Once a beautiful garden world of the Commonwealth, it was taken by the Covenant, who established their own settlements, and lived like kings, while their Belcoth slaves lived in squalor. Such a victory would surely give them enough momentum to take the Covenant down. Zealot Heryim 'Waikun lead a large force there to suppress the rebellions, which had caused massive damage to the planetary infrastructure, and ecosystem. He also commanded a squadron of experienced warships, intending to hold the world. The Belcoth came, and in great numbers, emerging from slipspace close to the souther pole. The fleet squadron was too small to effectively blockade the fleet, and instead held fast in orbit, attempting to smash the enemy fleet elements. On the ground, countless Coalition ships filled the sky, touching down at landing sites secured by rebels. Flak filled the skies, as what little air power the Covenant had left desperately attempted to ward off the Coalition forces. Battles raged across the cliff side terraces, and through the lush valleys that made Suriel famous. Bloody fights broke out across the fortified encampments they Covenant used to suppress rebels, as Covenant forces were surrounded and overrun. For 'Waikun, the battle was a loss. He could not hope to stop the invaders in such magnitude. He ordered the fleet to pull close to the planet, and begin evacuation measures, covering them with a massed orbital bombardment. The ship master, Ship Master Geryl 'Deriu, began to move his ships forward, preparing to evacuate soldier and civilian alike, until the order was received from the Fleet Master. He was to withdraw, and leave 'Waikun to his fate. While he found the order distasteful, he would not disobey. His ships withdrew. With any hope of escape gone, 'Waikun and his forces dug into the last remaining Keep, turning it into an immense fortress of trench works, battlements, bunkers, and traps. The Coalition would besiege them for three months, pounding them with artillery fire, and coordinated air strikes After that time, the defenders still clung, choking breaches with corpses, and fending off assaults with massed fire power. After the third month, the Coalition decided to increase the stakes. They lined captive Covenant colonists up outside of the Keep, and executed them in full view of the defenders. They killed more by the hour, promising to continue until they defenders surrendered. Looking from the walls, 'Waikun excused himself and returned to his chambers. He gave his final order, releasing soldiers from their duties, then took his own life, falling on his sword. His Honour Guard cremated him, scattering his ashes alongside his fallen troops, then proceeded to act as to each their own, some choosing to fight to the death, some choosing to end their own lives, though most would throw down their arms and walk out, surrendering themselves to the Coalition forces waiting outside. Years of Vengeance With the catastrophic loss at Suriel, the war entered a period the Belcoth called the Years of Vengeance. Over the next few years, the Covenant suffered massive casualties on all fronts, being gradually worn down by constant assaults. Between 2530, and 2535, the Coalition persecuted a brutal campaign, ousting dug-in Covenant positions, and planet-hopping closer and closer to Galmeon. The noose closed, with sectors around Galmeon. The Covenant forces took blow after blow. The majority of their ground forces were lost in insurgencies, or lost on Suriel. The Covenant took a further lose, with the privateer Ship Mistress Eran Ruk'Var was captured. She'd previous been instrumental in hitting Coalition rear lines, and stealing vital supplies, but after her world fell, and her clan, and her clutch captured, she willingly surrendered herself. By the time the Coalition made their move, the Covenant ground forces numbered close to a Legion in strength, and the Fleet of Undiminished Glory was now close to a reinforced Squadron in strength, with only twenty vessels remaining. Fall of Hierarch's Gate In early March, 2536, the first Coalition ships arrived at the edge of Hierarch's Gate system. While the Covenant had attempted to dig in, it would prove to be a cold comfort. The Coalition fleet numbered nearly 100 vessels, including several captured or repaired Covenant vessels. Moving his fleet into a broadside formation, Fleet Master Shiru 'Ruik opted to try and hold his ground, refusing to relent. The Coalition forces had learned the Covenant tactics well, and elected to meet them around the far side of the planet, performing a high-speed slingshot manoeuvre around the planet, slipping in under the guns on the Covenant fleet. Engaging them at knife-fight ranges, they began to quickly overwhelm them. Retreating to the guns of the Hierarch's Gate station, the Covenant fleet attempted to halt the on coming tide, or at least stem it. This gap allowed the Coalition forces to begin landing troops on the surface, massive assault ships thundering through the upper atmosphere. On the ground, the world turned into outright rebellion, as fighters took to the street armed with crude weapons, and home made bombs. Covenant security patrols were slain without recourse, and temples burned. These pyres provided the perfect landing light for the assault ships, touching down at landing sights secured by the rebel forces. Coalition forces exited the ships, and began to storm the cities of the world, storming every barricade, every bunker, every fortification the Covenant erected. As the war on the ground turned in favour of the Coalition, in orbit the Covenant established a small means of peace. The mighty guns of Hierarch's Gate warded off attack, preventing easy assault. The Coalition launched waves of boarding vessels at it, braving Covenant fighters and flak cannons. Some made it through, cutting through the outer hull to battle inside. While out numbered, and in hostile territory, the brave Belcoth warriors fought their way to the main power supplies for the guns, sabotaging them. One by one, the Covenant's guns were silenced. While the boarders died, their task was done. Hierarch's Gate fell silent. With the guns down, the Belcoth pressed their attack. The Belcoth heavy cruiser, Stormbane, rocketed to full speed. Already heavily damaged, and left with little opportunity to influence the fight, they aimed themselves at the flagship Unbroken Sword, and moved to ramming speed. Despite the damage it suffered, further fire by the Covenant failed to stop the speeding juggernaut, and it smashed into the already embattled Unbroken Sword, utterly crushing both vessels. The Unbroken Sword lost all power, and while portions of it were still intact, it was sent tumbling into the planet's orbit. It failed to recover, and crashed into the surface, levelling a vast swathe of terrain in the process. On the ground, the battle was all but other. The defenders had been ousted from their main fortifications, losing all strategic positions. The survivors, along with what few civilians they could evacuate, took refuge in the Temple of Manifested Fate. Long a symbol of forced conversion, the Temple was bombarded into dust. There was no interest in captives. Other hold outs surrendered, seeing no victory in death for them and their families. The last remnants of the fleet now found themselves utterly doomed, against a far superior foe. Boarders swarmed many crippled vessels, and the Gate. The only voice of order was Ship Master Geryl 'Deriu. He ordered his ships to power down, and signal surrender, and while they could, sabotage anything of value. With the war lost, they complied, tearing into their ship systems, damaging reactors, smashing weapons, and slaying any Engineers they could reach. They also attempted to sabotage the manufacturing facilities on the Gate, but were halted by Coalition marines securing them. The last few hold outs finally surrendered. Guns went silent. The warriors of the Coalition bordered the surviving flagship, to find 'Deriu, alone on his flight deck. He knelled, handing them his sword in defeat. The war ended. Aftermath The fleet of Undiminished Glory was utterly smashed. With most of its leaders dead, and many of its warships, destroyed, or captured, the survivors were forced into a humiliating surrender. Between the defeat at Hierarch's Gate, and other battles, nearly 10,000 Covenant warriors were left prisoner, and many tens of thousands more civilians from the Covenant occupied worlds. They would suffer greatly at the hands of the Belcoth, who saw this as just revenge for the humiliations and atrocities heaped upon themselves. The Belcoth were left with a veritable trove of technology, to bend to their will. With captured Huragok, and demoralised Covenant members, they were able to unlock these secrets. Despite attempts to scuttle the fleet, and the station and Hierarch's Gate, the shipyards were secured largely intact, and many ships were captured. A number of hold outs occurred around the outer territories, but few would come to anything. The Belcoth would reforge themselves into an aggressive force, with the Covenant in their sights. The two major factions of the Belcoth reforged themselves into a single union, devoted to taking back what they've lost, creating the Coalition. It would be a number of years before their strength was enough to challenge them, by which point the Covenant had already fallen.